Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Book Club

Oh My Gosh - I just realized that Book Club is coming for dinner tomorrow - So any ideas for a great book.......something light for the Holidays? Light doesn't mean cheap romances either. I need a good book to suggest.
Almost finished with the second gift socks - yeh - as they must be UPS'd by Monday - preferably on Friday but doubt I'll get that far. Bosses pair are complete and I love them - lucky me has another skein just like it. But it will have to wait till later. Will post pictures later I promise.
Off to get organized for a great dinner with the book ladies!!
TTFN

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Turkied Out

I am still stuffed - but we had a great time! Certain items might have been a little tastier if the cook had stayed in the kitchen and watched the pots - but I was having too much fun visiting with my siblings and family. Lucky for me it all made it to the table and the gravey survived!! No one even fell asleep in the mashed potatoes. We toasted mom and dad - saying we were right were they'd want us to be - together and having a good time. Dad wasn't here - in California for the winter and Molly had to work - but she made it home on Friday for the turkey sandwiches and left over pie! So we were all together part of the time. And as tradition rules - we watched The Grinch last night....the kids never grow up!
Now the house is quiet again - everyone went home today to avoid the tangled mess that will be the pass tomorrow - it's been snowing for days up there. I'm doing the mounds of laundry generated by 7 extra bodies in the house - plus of the course someone brought thier laundry home for mom to do - duh!
We drew names for Christmas and lucky me drew the new knitter in the family - oh this is going to be fun! Books and tools. I taught her how to knit in the round - I'm sure I've created a monster because she took right to it - socks are probably next!!
I have been working on my gift knits and of course thought of a few more things with everyone here - but don't know if I'll get to it all - luckily we only draw one name!
I'm going to do a little work today here at home to make up for not going in on Wednesday and then sit down and power knit for awhile - can't wait.
Hope everyone enjoyed Turkey Day as much as we did!

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Home today – no work on Thur and Fri anymore – bummer. So I’m waiting for the tile installer, the electrician, firewood delivery etc. So it all works out I guess. But without work it’s hard to pay for all these new projects! Funny how that works.

I do plan to do some maintenance repair projects with my time. Paint a few rooms, clean out closets, get rid of junk and oh yes Knit! I’ve taken a pair of socks that I started last week out so many times the yarn is frayed…but am going well now. Pictures when I get one finished. It’s just production knitting now as gift time is approaching way to fast. Am of course now the girls are saying – I want a new pair of socks, I need a warm scarf. I’m going to need some good movies to watch in the next few weeks to get this all done! It’s comforting to know all my fellow knitters are doing the same thing each evening!

I hope to get all the kitchen remodel – new floors and appliances – completed before the holiday – don’t know what the rush is since we won’t be here anyway, but it will be nice to get it completed. I was going to put off the appliance part – way more expense than I anticipated – but I found the perfect, used but in perfect condition, stove and micro – at about 10% of the cost of new – belonged to my boss who is getting a new gas stove for Christmas. What a deal. Now to find the right refrigerator to match. The stove and micro are black, I switched the panels on the dishwasher to black – so can I do a stainless refrigerator or do I do black. I think that black is too stark – since it’s the first thing you see when you walk in my front door – it’s a very open house. So am thinking a cabinet depth stainless refrig – what do you think. I’m standing at the front door in this picture – looks pretty cluttered doesn’t it? Just imagine new tile floor – carmel colored – to complete the “NEW” look.

We had the big wind and rain event last night – wasn’t nearly as bad as predicted. Luckily! I was bracing for the big one – had the candles and camping lantern ready, wood split, etc. Lots of rain and now my burn pile is just too wet – today would have been perfect to get that chore out of the way.

I think I’m going to get a surprise in the mail next week – finally – since I’m the only person who hasn’t received the Traveling Stash yet. I’ve got things to put in that I’ve had set aside for months. I love surprises. I need good surprises these days.

Hope all is well with everyone and your Turkey day prep is underway – my family is all coming here and I haven’t even started the list yet!!

Knit on!

Thursday, November 09, 2006

OK – I’ve been a really bad blogger

– no posts for a long long time. Sorry life has got in the way.

Kids are great – although M2 daughter has had a blip and spent an afternoon in the hospital. Not a good day but she bounces back with incredible speed and resolve. BiPolar is so unpredictable. She had been home to visit for a few days and seemed fine – then back at school all fell apart and she reacted poorly. But I guess each experience teachers her more. I’d do anything for her good health.

M3 daughter is so ‘senior stressed’ Lots going on with school work and activities and trying to get her early admission application completed. Has to be in the mail before next Wednesday – only little pieces missing now, but still work to accomplish. Will be so glad when this is finished. Then the wait begins. I’m relatively sure she will get in – it’s just a matter of how much money will they give her. I know that small schools give more so I’m hopeful.

Had dinner with all three kids – gosh that is nice having them all together. They have become fine young adults – I couldn’t be prouder.

I am struggling with the thought of having an empty nest – just what am I going to do with myself! Yea I know – KNIT – but unfortunately that isn’t enough. I need to find a knitting group or something!

Since I will have this big empty house – I am considering the big move. Sell my house and find a new community, start a new life. Have no clue where. Camp Sherman would be perfect – but it’s out of my price range. So one of the projects I am working on is fixing up my house. I figure I have a year to 18 months before I’d put it up for sale. There are a lot of little things I can do to improve the value. Today the tile guy is coming to give me an estimate for a new kitchen and entry floor. I’d love to replace all the flooring – but the logistics of that are just too overwhelming – so kitchen and entry it is. I’ve also hired a contractor to do a few things and will be doing some interior painting over the next few months.

I have lots of time since my work has been cut back to maybe three days a week – the pits but I don’t expect it to last long. I have been working at home some, which is nice too – don’t have the long drive everyday.

Yes I’ve been knitting – but since the projects are gift items I can’t go into it here. Suffice to say – I’ve begun a project with wonderful Alpaca – oh my gosh is it soft. My fingers are loving it. My completed gifts basket is getting fuller – good thing as I still have much to do – and I thought I started early. That never works does it. I went to a yarn store in Eugene when I was over there on Tuesday – overload! I found this Prism Yarn – it is truly Cool Stuff – but not in my price bracket so it stayed on the shelf for a dream later project. There were way too many temptations. Soft Horizons is the shop – beautiful stuff, Did finally picked up Knitting Rules – read it in one night – what fun. Stephanie nails it every time. I did a little stash enhancement for a future baby sweater project – just a pretty blue acrylic – I know but the future recipient doesn’t have time to hand wash anything. Luckily it’s an after Christmas project, but now it’s ready to get started then.

The weather has been very knitterly – record rain over on the west side, but surprisingly warm – the Pineapple Express they call it. In the sixties and over 2 inches of rain in a day! Weird – but that’s Oregon for you. The drive over to Eugene was interesting – rivers full to almost flood stage. The rain stopped long enough the next day to get home safe – the fall colors where gorgeous – sorry I didn’t take my camera.

Hope everyone is pleased with the elections – It will mean changes and adjustments for which I am thankful. Interesting times ahead for sure.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and my family will all be coming here – so have to get hustling getting organized. So much to do! I haven’t even thought about it until now – better get started.

Hope all is well with all of you and that you are all getting those Christmas projects started – ho ho ho!